"What time is her detention again?"

"Not until eight."

"Oh. What time is it now?"

"Five minutes after the last time you asked."

"Right. Where do you suppose-"

"I don't know, Ron."

Harry was very patiently repeating the same conversation with his best friend for the third time when Hermione arrived in the Great Hall. "Finally!" he muttered, relieved.

"Where have you been?" Ron asked Hermione.

"Nowhere," she replied brusquely, sliding into her seat across the table from Harry and Ron. Her vague answer elicited skeptical looks from both boys.

Hermione sighed. "I had to stay after class."

"Why?" wondered Harry.

"No reason," she said evasively, again receiving doubtful looks. "Oh, alright," she conceded, "but it's so stupid!" Hermione gestured in frustration and happened to catch a glimpse of her watch. "Is it really six-thirty already?" she exclaimed.

"Yeah, but-" Ron protested.

Hermione cut him off. "I have to go," she said, gathering her things. "I absolutely cannot be late for detention."

"Well, see you later then," Harry said, receiving a curt not in response as Hermione hurried away.

"Yeah, bye," Ron added, but the heavy wooden doors of the Great Hall were already closing behind her.

"Does it seem to you like Hermione's been acting odd lately?" Harry inquired of Ron as they were once left by themselves.

Ron thought for a moment. "Not really. Why?"

"I dunno." Harry shrugged. "She just seems less…in-control than usual."

"Really?" said Ron with an expression of puzzlement. "I haven't noticed anything."

"Oh. Never mind, then."

The subject was promptly dismissed by both of them. Ginny Weasley, however, who had overheard the conversation from down the table, furrowed her brow in thought as the beginnings of an idea began to form in her head.

It was nearly ten o'clock when Hermione returned to Gryffindor Tower. The only two people who still occupied the common room were Harry and Ron, who looked up from their game of wizard's chess to greet her.

"Hermione!" said Ron. "Well, come on then." he indicated the chair between Harry and him, which she took, setting her bag down on the table with a thud.

"Hey!" Ron exclaimed, as the movement had knocked over a number of chess pieces. "I was gonna win!"

Harry and Hermione chose to ignore the outburst. "How was it?" Harry asked her.

"Fine," Hermione replied noncommittally as she prepared to begin her homework. "Why on Earth are you two still up?"

"We were waiting for you," said Harry as if he were stating the obvious.

"It's not really that late, anyway," Ron added.

"We still have class tomorrow, though," Hermione scolded them. She picked up her quill to write, but immediately dropped it again with a gasp of pain.

"So McGonagall had you writing lines, did she?" observed Harry.

Hermione nodded. "I think I've lost the use of my right hand," she feebly joked.

"Let's see," Ron offered, taking her hand and gently massaging it. "Better?"

"Yes," Hermione replied in surprise. "Thanks. How did you…?"

"It comes with experience," Ron said with a rueful smile. He realized he was still holding her hand and quickly released it. Both of them blushed fiercely.

"Another match, Ron?" asked Harry, setting the chess pieces back on the board.

"Sorry, mate," Ron yawned. "I'm gonna go get some sleep." He stood and stretched, then began to climb the stairs.

Hermione sighed as she stared at the pile of books in front of her. "Forget it," she said, shoving them back into her bag. She stood and slung the bag over her shoulder before ascending to the dormitory. "See you tomorrow, Harry."

"Yeah, 'night," Harry responded as he headed for bed himself.

Hermione opened the door to the girls' dorm and was shocked to see a bright pair of eyes staring at her out of the darkness. "Lumos," she whispered, quickly grabbing her wand. The light revealed Ginny, sitting on Hermione's bed and obviously excited by her return.

"Well?" she wondered.

"Honestly!" said Hermione in exasperation. "Why does everyone care so much?"

"Are you kidding?" Ginny asked rhetorically. "Hermione, you never get in trouble! Like it or not, this is a big deal.

Hermione remained silent as she changed into her pajamas.

"So what did you have to do?" Ginny prompted.

Hermione shrugged. "What everyone else does, I guess. She didn't give my fifty lashes or hang me by my thumbs in the dungeon or anything."

"Oh," said Ginny, relieved.

"I wrote lines," Hermione continued. "It was boring. That's all."

"Okay," Ginny said, sensing that Hermione was not in a conversational mood. "I'll see you tomorrow, then."

"Ginny?"

"What?"

"Would you mind checking in the morning to make sure I'm awake?"

Ginny groaned. "Does that mean I have to wake up at seven?"

"If you don't want to, just forget it."

"No!" Ginny quickly protested. "I'll do it. That's what friends are for, right?"

"Thanks," said Hermione, climbing into bed. She extinguished her wand and was soon fast asleep.

"Hermione!"

The whisper awoke Hermione, and as her eyes adjusted she saw Ginny standing over her bed.

"It can't be time to get up yet," Hermione groaned.

"No. It's a little after midnight," Ginny informed her. "Sorry."

"What's the matter?"

"There was something I wanted to ask you about," Ginny explained.

"What?" Hermione asked with a yawn.

"Doesn't it seem a little odd?" wondered Ginny. "You're Miss Always-In-Control-Perfectionist-Extraordinaire, and then all of the sudden you're forgetting your books and oversleeping and getting detention? That doesn't just happen.

"Oh, it doesn't, does it? Let me ask you something," Hermione said testily. "Since when are you an expert on my life?"

"Stop being difficult," Ginny responded, losing patience. "There's something going on here, and you know it as well as I do.

Hermione remained stonily silent, which Ginny interpreted as permission to continue. "That argument you had with Ron last night-"

"How do you know about that?" Hermione demanded.

"The way you two carry on? I wouldn't be surprised if the entire school heard."

"Oh."

"Anyway," Ginny pressed on, "I think when you broke that mirror-"

"Nonsense," Hermione interrupted.

"But it's really bad luck!" protested Ginny.

"There is no such thing," replied Hermione in her most authoritative voice, "as luck. Good night, Ginny." With that, she rolled over and went back to sleep.

Author's Note: Yet another chapter! If you have taken the time to read the entire thing, you might as well review; it would also make me very happy. I don't have any more of the story written as of now, so depending on the response to this chapter I will assess whether or not it is worth continuing. In other words, please review! Thanks!